Is the Subway REALLY an acceptable replacement for a U-Haul? The passengers carrying couches, chairs and mattresses on the New York underground

For many cash-strapped New Yorkers, hiring a U-Haul truck to move just a few items is simply too expensive. Owning a car in the city and dealing with parking fees is out of the question.

So it's hardly surprising that in recent times there has been an influx of mattresses, couches, chairs and tables carted onto the Subway - much to the chagrin of fellow passengers.

In a series of photos on Gothamist, these seat-hogging riders are shamed for their poor Subway etiquette and general disregard for others' personal space.

Taking up room: In recent times there has been an influx of mattresses, couches, chairs and tables carted onto the New York Subway - much to the chagrin of fellow passengers

Two friends told the website how they brought a couch onto a train out of sheer desperation.

'I had been sleeping on an air mattress in my Bed Stuy apartment for two months. . . and my friend and I went to a prop shop in Gowanus in the hopes that I could find something to sleep on,' Ty explains.

After discovering a red and green sofa which was on sale for $30, they bought it - before realizing they would have to cart it back to their apartment on the other side of Brooklyn.

Nuisance: Two mattress-toting riders annoyed other passengers not only because it took up space, but also because it had the potential to spread every New Yorker's worst nightmare: bed bugs

Not only did the table block one Subway seat, but the woman sat in the adjacent seat, meaning she took up two spaces altogether.

As Gothamist points out, 'if you must transport such a large object via our communal mass transit system, then you need to accept the fact that you also must sacrifice your seat.'

Jeffrey Rodriguez, who submitted the photo of the offending table-mover, told Gothamist: 'I saw this strap-hanger today on a crowded G train. Many passengers were standing. . .I was amazed no one said anything!'